Circular knitting machine



Sept. 14, 1954 c. RIZZO CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1951 INVENTOR. '7

Sept. 14, 1954 c. RIZZO CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1951 INVENTOR 62177 62 1ft ;0

Sept. 14-, 1954 C zzo CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 2, 1951 INZENTOR. C aw 07152 Patented Sept. 14, I954 Carmen Riizzo, Orange,

tion of Delaware h N. 3., assignorto "Metal Textilefiorporation, Roselle, N. -.I., a corpora-- ApplicationMarch 2, 1951, SerialNo. 213 642 This invention relates to improvements in circular knitting machines and to knitted. material Whichis producedthereby.

The invention has for an object to provide a knitted material comprising longitudinally interconnected knitted 'l'o'op's produced by the operation of a singleneedie of "a circular knitting ma chine and cooperating means whereby a strand, undergoing'the knitting operation, is'cause'd'to pass under the heck of the needle so "asto be formed into Ia 'l'oopwhich' is pulledthr'ough a preceding loopw'hich is then 'castoff "by the operationof the needle,"thus producing a straight-or longitudinal run of successively'interknifloops by which thematerial is' constituted.

"The invention has for 'a further object-to provide :a circular knitting machine with meansfor leading astran'd to be knitte'd to a selected-needle there'ofandcooperativemeans*tocause thestrand to pass beneath the hook or said needle and around the needle subject to the looping and knitting operation thereof, whereby to "produce a knitted material comprising a straigl it -or longitudinal run of successively iinterknit loops.

Thednvention has for another object 't'o proviele lira circular knitting machineoperative to produce tubular knit material, means .-ior interkriitting with the knit loopswof' one or moresel'ected wales of'the rtubular knit material a longitudina l run orruns: of successivelyinterknit loops of an-additional strand cr strands whicnas thus incorporatedrin the tubular knit b'odwserve to reenforce' said body against longitudinal stretchwtnd consequent narrowing, or to .provide the tubular knit body with other desired characteristics.

The invention also has for an iobjecttoiprovide a-tubular'knit body having a-longitudinal runor runs 0f successively 'interknit loops -'of an additional strand or strands, which loops *are lrnitted together with loops of a-selectewwale or wa les of the tubular knit-body, wherebysaidrun or runs are incorporated in said body as a unitary part or parts'thereo'f.

Other objects of this-invention, not: at thistime more particularly enumerated, "will beunderstood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative enibodi-mentsof the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. '1 is a't'op planview, inpa'rt of a circular knitting machineaccordingto thisinvention and Fig. 2 is'a vertical section throughi'the'same,"taken on line 2 2in'Figfl.

'-Figs. '3, 5, and? arerespectivelyschematic plan Views'showing'successive steps infeedinga strand to a single needle of the knitting machine, whereby to engage the strand under the 'hook of the needle and'aroundthe needle prep'aratory to productionof a knittedfloop by theop'eration o'fsaid needle; and Figs. .4, 6 and '8 are respectively schematic 'elevation'al "views corresponding to the respective planviews of Figs. 3,'5 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a face 'view of a tubular knit body having runs 'of "successively interknit iloopsio'f additional strands interknitt'ed' with the loops of selected'wales ofthe tubular. lznit body.

Similar characters of reference. are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate correspondingparts.

Referring to "the drawings, the reference "character It indicates the baseoi aicircu'lar knitting machine, which is usually supportednpon'a suitable iramewori; (not shown). "Formed in said base is a central, internaliyscrew threaded opening IL-into which is threaded an'ad'justingsle'eve i2. Upon the -upper end of sleeve I2 "is carried the vertical 'needle cylinder *l 3,which is thus subject to raising'and lowering "movements for 'adlusting the operative position of the needles M, which needles are vertically reciprocablein'guide channels 15 formed inthecylinder 13 around the exterior thereof. The needle-cylinder +3 is-suitably held against rotation, "and is secured in desired vertically adjusted "position bya jamb-nut wheel I 6 whichisthreaded on theadjustingsleeve 12, to abut and jamb against theunderside'oi the base [0.

Formed in thetopside of the-base i0 is'a 'bearing recess IF-c0ncel1tric 'to the "vertical axis of the needle cylinder Mounted to rotate iii-said bearing recess ii and about the needle c 'rlinder I3 is a turn-table r8. "Said'turn-table-isdriven by a powertransmission'shaft lilthrough a pinion 20 adapted to mesh with a bevel gear 21' with which the underside ofthe'turn-tableisiprovided.

I Fixed on the turn-table 'i'JEi, to'upstand therefrom same (as shown) comprises a supporting bracket 25 which is carried by the cam cylinder 22 so as to move therewith about the needle cylinder l3. Supported by the bracket 25 is a spool 28 that is loaded with a supply of the strand S. Cooperative with the supported supply spool 26 is a flier 21 that is adapted to revolve about the axis of said spool. Said flier is provided at its free end with a guide eye 28 through which the strand S is led from the supply spool 26. Mounted in connection with the cam cylinder 22 is an upwardly extending standard 29 which supports a cross-arm 30 at a suitable level above the supply spool 26. Carried by the cross-arm 38, at respective end portions thereof, are strand tensioning devices 3|. The strand S is unwound from the supply spool 26 by the revolving flier 21, and, as thus issued from said supply spool, is led upwardly to and through one tensioning device to the other tensioning device, passing from the latter downwardly and through the eye 32 of a guide arm 33. Said guide arm 33 is mounted on the cam cylinder 22 so as to move therewith about the needle cylinder I3, and is so disposed relative to the latter as to lay the strand S across raised needles 14 subject to be engaged by the hooks of the latter when the needles are caused to descend in the operation of forming and interknitting the loops which produce the tubular knit body.

Means is provided to feed and guide an additional strand S to the machine for application to a selected single needle 14', and means is further provided for engaging this additional strand S beneath the hook of said needle and around the needle subject to the looping and knitting operation thereof.

The means for feeding and guiding the strand S comprises a stationary support 34, which is suitably suspended above the needle cylinder [3 of the machine, as. e. g. by a hanger bar or rod 35. Affixed to the hanger bar or rod 35, to project laterally therefrom above support 34, is a bracket arm 36 upon which is mounted a tensioning device 3!. Attached to the support 34, to project radially therefrom, is a stationary guide arm 38 having an eye 39 in its free end portion. This guide arm is so disposed in a plane above the machine needles and relative to the selected needle l4 to which the additional strand S is supplied, that the eye 39 is positioned in outwardly and rearwardly offset relation to said needle I4. The strand S is led from any suitable source of supply thereof (not shown) downwardly through the tensioning device 31, and thence through the eye 39 of stationary guide arm 38 to the selected needle l4.

The means for applying the strand S to the selected needlel4 of the machine is provided by an applicator device comprising a post 40, the foot 4| of which is suitably secured to the cam cylinder 22 so that said post upstands from the latter. Extending inwardly from the post 4%, in substantially horizontal plane spaced above the needle cylinder l3 and its needles, is an applicator arm 42. This applicator arm is disposed oblique to the radial vertical plane of the needle cylinder I3 in which the needle l4 lies, and said applicator arm is of such length that its free end portion will intersect the vertical axis of the needle l4 when moved above the latter and across said vertical axis thereof.

The applicator device, being carried by the rotatable cam cylinder 22, will be caused, by the rotative movement of the latter, to travel around the needle cylinder l3 when the machine is operated. The outwardly and rearwardly offset position of the eye 39 of the guide arm 38 relative to the selected needle I4 is such that the portion p of the strand S which extends from the guide arm to said needle is disposed across the path of movement of the applicator arm 42 as said arm is moved toward said needle by the rotating cam cylinder 22.

When the machine is operated to produce from a strand S a tubular knit body provided with a run of longitudinally linked loops of an additional strand S interknitted with the loops of a selected wale of said tubular body, the strand S is fed to and applied to successive needles l4, including a selected needle l4, subject to the knitting operations of said needles in manner well known to the art. In such operation, a loop Z of strand S (see Figs. 4, 6 and 8) is formed on the selected single needle I4 ready to be cast off during the operation of forming and knitting thereto a succeeding loop. The portion p of strand S extends between the guide arm 38 and a p Z previously formed therefrom (see Figs. 3 and 4) on the selected single needle l4 in company with said loop Z of strand S, and also ready to be cast off with the latter. The loops 1 and Z provide a composite loop structure to which a like succeeding composite loop structure, when formed, can be knitted. To form the succeeding composite loop structure, the strand S is laid across the raised and open selected needle l4 (see Fig. 2), whereupon the strand S is applied to the latter as follows:

As the applicator arm 42, in its circuit, approaches the selected needle l4, its free end portion engages the portion 12 of strand S (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) whereupon continued advance of the applicator arm carries said portion p of strand S across the raised and open needle 14 so as to engage the same with the latter below its hook h (see Figs. 5 and 6). lhe needle I4 is now timed to begin its operative descent. Due to the oblique disposition of the applicator arm 42, as it passes the needle I4 and continues on its circular orbit of travel, the longitudinal axis of said arm tends to approach alignment with said portion 1 of strand S as then extendin between the same and the guide arm 38, which portion 10 of strand S by that time has been swung into a plane behind the descending needle l4'. As a consequence of this, under the pull of the descending needle [4, said portion p of strand S will pull away from the end of the applicator arm 42, and will thus release itself for disposition behind said needle l4, whereby to loop the strand S about the latter (see Figs. 7 and 8). As the needle (4 thereafter continues its descent, its latch will be closed as the needle pulls through the previously formed composite loop ll', and will thus enclose the succeeding composite loop so that the latter will be drawn through the former and thus knitted thereto. After this, the previously formed composite loop will be cast off the needle I4, whereafter said needle, upon its upward movement to initial raised and open condition, will pass through and hold said succeeding composite loop subject to repetition of the above described operations.

From the above it will be understood that a longitudinal run of relatively tight knit loops of additional strand material will be interknit with and strongly attached to corresponding longitudinal knit loops of a selected wale of the produced tubular knit body. It will be understood that the tubular knit body may 'be provided with a plurality of runs of relatively tight knit loops of additional strand material interkn'it with selected additional wale loops of said body, which runs may be relatively laterally spaced in connection with the body as may be desired. Such additional runs can be produced by providing the machin with additional guide arms 38 for cooperation with additional selected needles of the machine and addi-tional means for supplying strands S through said guide arms to the selected needles. The application of the strands S to the additional selected needles will be successively carried out in the manner above described by the single applicator arm 12 which will be common "to all additional strands S.

It will also be understood that runs. of "longitudinally linked knit loops may, if desired, be produced by the machine as -a separate material, 1. e. independently of a tubular knit body, by utilizing one or more of the machine needles, each served by a supply of strand S to be knitted, and omitting service of strand S to the machine needles.

An example of a tubular knit body provided with runs of relatively tight knit loopsof additionalstrand material interknitted with and attached to knit loops of selected wales of the body is shown in Fig. 9, wherein the tubular knitbody is indicated by the reference character B, and the incorporated runs of additional strand material by the reference-character R. In a tubul'ar knit body so characterized, the incorporated runs R reenforce the tubular knit body '3 against distortion or deformation due to longitudinal stretching and consequent narrowing. Being thus reenforced against distortion or deformation, the tubular knit body provides e. g. a very desirable means for backing brake linings, whereby to firmly 'hold the brake lining material or compound in place until cured-and after ouring to reenforce the same against deformation. The reenforced tubular knit body is also adapted for many other uses, wherein a tubular knit body which will resist stretching and'narrowing is desirable.

The novel tubular knit body with the incorporated runs R can be produced from strands S and S of any kind best suited to give the mate-. rial desired characteristics. For example, the body 13 may be knitted 'from'a'm'etallic strand S with the incorporated run or runs R knitted from a textile or like strand S, or vice versa; or both the body B and run or runs R may be knitted from metallic strands or from textile or like strands. The strands :8 and/or strands S may be of composite character if desired. In fact, many variations in the specific types of strand materials may be used, accordingly as best suited to provide a finished material having characteristics best suited to the ultimate use to which the knitted body is to be put. For example, the strand forming the run or runs B may comprise an absorbent material adapted to absorb and thereafter supply oil to the meshes of the body B when the body is used as an air filter screen, or is similarly used.

It is frequently desirable to furnish a knitted mesh of single ply, and yet to initially produce such mesh in tubular form by the rapid and economical operation of a circular knitting machine. To obtain a single ply mesh from a tubular knit body, it is necessary to split the tubular body longitudinally. The result, however, is not satisfactory for the reason that the sev- 6, ered edges of the split body w ill quic'kly' ravel, and thus impair integrity of the produced single ply material. If, however, the tubular knit body is provided with suitably disposed runs R of tight knit longitudinally linked loops interknit with wale loops of said body, the body may beseve'red adjacent tosuch runs R, which runs will thereupon serve as selvag'e bindings which will securely 'hold the edgesof the mesh of the tubular knit body against raveling or like disintegration.

From the above it will now be evident that this invention provides a tubular knit material of novel characteristics, as well as a novel-knitting mechanism by means of whichsu'ch material can be produced. Changes could be made in both the machine and its product without 'departing irorn the scope of this "invention as 'defined by the here following claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having hooked needles, a stationary needle cylinder in which said needles are mounted tor reciprocation, a rotatable cam cylinder for reciprocating the needles, and means to supply to said needles a strand to be knitted thereby into a tubular knit body; the combination with the foregoing or means to supply an additional strand to a selected single needle of the machine including a stationary guide means disposed in a plane spaced above the-needle cylinder and its needles and having a strand guide eye rearwardly and outwardly offset relative to said selected single needle, and applicator-meansmounted on the can: cylinder so as to be moved thereby in a circuit about and externally '-0f the machine needles in a plane intermediate the needles and said stationary guide means, said applicator means being operative, after the first mentioned strand has been applied to said selected needle, to engage additional strand between the guide means and selected needle so 'as to'carry the under the hook ofthe selected needle and looped around the same, and then to release the thus looped additional strand subject to the knitting action or said selected needle, whereby to knit said additional strand into a longitudinal run of successively linked loops interknitted with the loops or a Wale of the tubular knit body formed from the first mentioned strand.

2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein the applicator means comprises a substantially horizontal applicator arm disposed to project inwardly across and above the circular row of machine needles and obliquely to the radial plane in which the selected single needle lies.

3. In a circular knitting machine having hooked needles, a stationary needle cylinder in which said needles are mounted for vertical reciprocation and an external rotatable cam cylinder for reciprocating the needles together with means to supply to said needles a strand to be knitted thereby into a tubular knit fabric; the combination with said machine of means to supply an additional strand to a raised selected single needle to be incorporated in a tubular knit fabric produced by the machine, said means including a stationary guide means disposed in a plane spaced above the machine needles and having a guide eye rearwardly and outwardly offset relative to said selected single needle, from which guide eye said additional strand is to be delivered across said selected needle, and means mounted on the rotatable cam cylinder so as to be carried thereby in a circuit around the needle cylinder and its needles, said latter means including a substantially horizontal applicator arm disposed in a plane intermediate the top of the needle cylinder and said stationary guide means to project inwardly and rearwardly across and above the circular row of machine needles and obliquely to the radial plane in which the selected single needle lies, said applicator arm, during its advancing movement toward the raised selected needle, operating to engage said additional strand between the guide means and said selected needle so as to carry the same under the hook of the latter, and thence rearwardly of said hook into looped relation to said needle, and then, by its continuing advancing movement, to release the thus looped strand subject to the downward knitting action of said selected needle, whereby to knit the strand into a wale of the tubular knit fabric.

4. In combination with a circular knitting machine having reciprocable needles and a rotatable cam cylinder for reciprocating said needles together with means to supply to said needles a strand to be knitted thereby into a tubular knit fabric, means to supply an additional strand to a selected single needle of the machine including a stationary guide arm disposed in a plane spaced above the machine needles and having a strand guide eye rearwardly and outwardly offset relative to said selected single needle, and means carried by said cam cylinder to be moved thereby in a circuit about and externally of the machine needles in a plane intermediate the needles and said stationary guide arm, said latter means being operative, after the first mentioned strand has been applied to said selected needle, to engage said additional strand between the stationary guide arm and the selected needle so as to loop said strand around the latter and beneath the hook thereof, and thereafter to release the thus looped additional strand subject to the downward knitting action of said selected needle, whereby to knit said additional strand into a longitudinal succession of linked loops interknitted with the loops of a wale of the tubular knit fabric formed from the first mentioned strand.

5. In a circular knitting machine having hooked needles, a stationary needle cylinder in which said needles are mounted for vertical reciprocation and an external rotatable cam cylinder for reciprocating the needles together with means to supply to said needles a strand to be knitted thereby into a tubular knit fabric, the combination with the foregoing of means to supply an additional strand to a selected needle including a stationary guide arm disposed to extend radially across the needle cylinder and its needles in a plane spaced above the same, said guide arm having in its outer end a strand guide eye rearwardly and outwardly ofiset relative to said selected single needle, and an applicator means mounted on the rotatable cam cylinder so as to be carried thereby in a circuit around the needle cylinder and its needles, said applicator means including a substantially horizontal applicator arm disposed in a plane intermediate the top of the needle cylinder and said stationary guide arm to project inwardly across and above the circular row of machine needles and obliquely to the radial plane in which the selected single needle lies, said applicator arm, during its advancing movement toward the selected needle, operating to engage said additional strand between the guide arm and said selected needle so as to carry the same under the hook of the latter, and thence rearwardly of said hook into looped relation to said needle, and thereafter, by its continuing advancing movement, to release the thus looped strand subject to the downward knitting action of said selected needle, whereby to knit said additional strand into a longitudinal succession of linked loops interknitted with the loops of a Wale of the tubular knit fabric formed from the first mentioned strand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,772A00 Larkin Aug. 5, 1930 1,886,521 Bristow et a1 Nov. 8, 1932 1,992,119 Bristow et a1 Aug. 15, 1933 2,018,164 Wildt et a1 Oct. 22, 1935 2,018,166 Wildt et a1 Oct. 22, 1935 2,025,913 Taggart Dec. 31, 1935 2,130,769 Lombardi Sept. 20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 348,904 France Feb. 25, 1905 428,953 Germany May 14, 1926 

